Broncos' coal-fired offense lacks a head coach of steam By Woody Paige Denver Post December 26, 2015 S. Claus should have left a lump of coal for Gary Kubiak on Christmas. The coach hasn't been naughty. Worse. He's been naught. Zip, zilch, zero. In the past three games, the Broncos have not scored in the second half. Such a dud of a nil of a flop hasn't occurred in the NFL since the Jacksonville Jags managed only one field goal in the second half of three consecutive games. Coach Jack Del Rio was fired soon afterward. John Elway won't fire his former roommate and backup after this season, but both must share the blame. Elway has constructed a first-class defense. But he presented Kubiak, Rick Dennison and Greg Knapp a steerage offense to work with from the start of the season to the finish. For the $70 million given to Demaryius Thomas, Elway could have gotten five offensive linemen blocking, four wide receivers receiving, three tight ends catching, two running backs rushing and a partridge in a pear tree. No points in the third and fourth quarters of December, no offensive players selected to the Pro Bowl. None of the offensive players belong in the Super Bowl. No wonder Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler have been beaten up more than a cheap rental car. The two have suffered through 118 sacks and hits, an average of more than eight per game. Kubiak can't be excused. He is the head coach, the de facto offensive coordinator and the scheme- and play-decider. He may conceive of a good game plan in his mind. But he sure does produce a lousy second-half plan. After halftime, the Broncos don't put their hand on the throttle or their foot on the throat. In the past with Manning, the Broncos ran a hurry-up offense in the second half. These days, under Kubiak, the Broncos have a quicksand offense in the second half. "Omaha" has turned into "Omigod" and "Omaha-ha" as the team dissipates after intermission. Kubiak always has been recognized for his night-before rousing, motivational speeches to the players. He must develop lockjaw at halftime.

The Broncos have scored 12 offensive touchdowns in the second half of 14 games. That's obviously under one a game. Over the past three games — against the dregs of San Diego and Oakland and that pitiful performance in Pittsburgh — and in three of their first six, the Broncos did not score a touchdown on offense in the second half. The Broncos' offense isn't much stronger in the first half, with a mere 15 offensive touchdowns. The team has just 33 touchdowns, including four by the defense and one on a punt return. Perhaps Kubiak should order a punt on first down. Except that veteran punter Britton Colquitt is enduring a brutal season, and kicker Brandon McManus hasn't been dependable lately, either. It's hard to believe that Kubiak is more conservative as a coach than his predecessor, John "Take a Knee" Fox. But he is. This team is on pace to have the fewest second-half points since 2004 — when Kubiak was Mike Shanahan's offensive coordinator. The difference then was the Broncos scored 240 points in the first half, and surpassed 31 points in six games. The current version has reached 31 once. Elway and Kubiak wanted to re-create the 1996-99 Shanahan run-dominated offense. Problem is, these Broncos don't have Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey, and an experienced, solid offensive line. Shanahan was let go because of the concern that his offensive game had been passed by, by passing teams. How can the Broncos score only 19, 16, 13, 17, 17 and 12 against sub-.500 outfits that have been torched for 34, 35, 37, 38, 45 and 48 by other opponents? Because Gary Kubiak is playing the second half not to lose, and his offense is an Orange Muck. Now, the Broncos are hanging on and hoping they don't miss the playoffs. They've become a sub-.500 team in the past seven weeks. Santa Claus did not come to town. The Cincinnati Bengals are. And they permit a point fewer per game than the Broncos allow. It has been claimed that a lump of coal under pressure turns into a diamond. Kubiak and his lump of coal, as well as Osweiler, certainly will be under intense pressure Monday night. Will the offense become Neil Diamond? No, but the Broncos will score an offensive touchdown in the second half and win 20-13.

Broncos' postseason chances depend on playing better after halftime By Troy Renck Denver Post December 26, 2015 Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas hauled in the pass and burst downfield last Sunday. He straight-armed a defender and romped into the end zone. Just feet from where rapper Wiz Khalifa stood on a makeshift pregame stage extolling the crowd with "Black and Yellow," the gray began to lift on the Broncos' slump. They led the Steelers 27-10 in Pittsburgh. Everything seemed possible, including a franchise-record seventh road victory. Then came the second half. Steve Harvey crowned Denver the winner. Lucy pulled away the football. Everyone in Colorado, from coach Gary Kubiak to the most angry fan, continues to ask the same question: How can the Broncos offer such a contradiction, dominating the first half of games before disappearing after halftime? "It's been a little puzzling, but there are other things that are puzzling too," Kubiak said. "You have to work through them and keep pushing. We'll keep digging until we find a way to come out of the locker room the right way." The numbers are blunt. Denver has been outscored 36-0 in the second half of the past three games, including back-to-back losses to Oakland and Pittsburgh that have placed this season on the brink. No NFL team since the 2003 New York Giants has gone four consecutive games without a second-half point. What makes Denver's spiral jarring is the juxtaposition. In December, the Broncos have held a combined 56-16 advantage in the first half. Nothing illustrates the climb and subsequent cliff dive like third down. During the past three games, the Broncos have converted on 17-of-23 first-half third downs, while going 2-of-25 in the second half. They have become to halves what the Rockies are to home and road splits. "We just have to find a way to finish for 60 minutes," running back C.J. Anderson said. "That's on us. We don't want to blame anybody. We're not going to blame the coaches. It's on us to make it go." "Play with excitement" No one person can be fingered. The answers for the collapses are complicated because they reveal problems across the board and leave flaws exposed. While Kubiak's arrival in Denver was welcomed, it came with baggage. His Houston Texans teams struggled down the stretch over his final three seasons, going 18-12 through their first 10 games and 8-14 thereafter. Kubiak earned his reputation as a premier offensive coordinator by scripting the game's first 15 plays. He has experimented with scripting them in the second half. Nothing has clicked this month.

"I have done a little bit of everything in my career. The bottom line is that you are talking and making adjustments," Kubiak said. "How are you getting played? What are they doing to you? To be honest, it's like anything in football. If it's not going good, you find a way to change it." If the Broncos don't rebound in the second half, they face the possibility of becoming the first NFL team to start a season 10-2 and miss the postseason. The Broncos entered halftime leading each of the past three games: 17-3, 12-0 and 27-13. They knew opponents would switch up their defenses. In San Diego, Denver turned conservative, correctly believing the Chargers' offense stood no chance against the Broncos' defense. But in the consecutive losses, the lack of counterpunch has been striking. This Broncos offense doesn't resemble those of 2013 and 2014. Audibles typically feature two options: a tweak of the called play or a single alternative. Under former offensive coordinator Adam Gase, quarterback Peyton Manning had an entire playbook at his disposal at the line of scrimmage. Lack of creativity, lack of balance — Denver gained only 25 yards rushing in the second half of the past two games — has created results that are lacking. "As an offense we just really need to play with excitement and play loose," said offensive tackle Ryan Harris. "You can't worry about last week. We're practicing loose, we're practicing fast, we're having fun. As long as we continue to do that, I think we will be very confident." The Raiders, recognizing Denver's inability to run well enough to force a safety to drop down into the box, became more aggressive up front. It led to linebacker Khalil Mack obliterating tackles Michael Schofield and Harris for five second-half sacks. The Raiders surprised the Broncos by staying in cover-two and cover-three zones. The Broncos rarely exploited seam routes, and on the few times they did, drops followed. The Steelers reacted by blitzing more in the second half and ditching their soft coverage. And no Broncos player could camouflage the offense's weaknesses by making a big play. Over the past three weeks, quarterback Brock Osweiler has completed 73 percent of his first half passes compared with 49 percent in the second half. Opponents recognize if they take away Osweiler's first read, he has a tendency to hold the ball too long and drift in the pocket. Appearing overmatched "It boils down to the fundamentals," Osweiler said. "I know it sounds basic, but it's the little things that get you back on track. I am the first one that needs to fix things. I need to play better in the second half, and I will." The players take ownership across the board, with no one publicly grumbling. But it's fair to wonder if Kubiak has too much faith in his players in this scheme, given the injuries to two left tackles, left guard Evan Mathis, Anderson and Manning. He has said repeatedly that sometimes it comes down to players "winning their one-on-one" battles.

Still, this isn't the Super Bowl title teams when the Broncos featured seven offensive Pro Bowlers and three Hall of Famers. This year's offense placed no one in the Pro Bowl, and players appear overmatched in the second half the past three weeks, averaging just five first downs and 100 total yards. The three-and-outs — which feature penalties and sacks — sting. Momentum shifts become drastic with opponents gaining confidence from Denver's mistakes. "The key thing is those third downs, because it keeps you on the field," general manager John Elway told the team's website. "We know where we have been the last couple of weeks. We haven't performed in the second half like we'd like to, but I think the key thing is that we do control our own destiny. We have to play 60 minutes. We've done a good job, especially the last couple of weeks, in the first 30 minutes, but we played very poorly that second half. So we have to put 60 minutes together. Fortunately we're going to be back at home against a very good Cincinnati Bengals team. If we play 60 minutes like we're capable of, then we can beat anybody." As the Broncos practiced Wednesday, a workout multiple players said was the team's best of the season, Eminem's "Lose Yourself" blared at Dove Valley: "Look, if you had, one shot, or one opportunity "To seize everything you ever wanted. In one moment "Would you capture it, or just let it slip?" The answer lies in the second half.

Peyton Manning's 'Book of Manning' awaits final chapter By Troy Renck Denver Post December 26, 2015 Even though I had seen "The Book of Manning" multiple times, I refused to change channels when it appeared on the screen. History remains a weakness. Documentaries draw me in. Watching the Manning film Friday brought a different perspective. It struck a chord when Archie Manning spoke of possibly missing his final college game because of a fractured left arm. He played with a makeshift foam and leather brace for protection, passing for 180 yards and rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown. Ole Miss lost to Auburn in the Gator Bowl. The ending wasn't perfect, but it provided closure. Which brings us to his famous son, Peyton Manning. Manning practiced Saturday, throwing and working out with Broncos coach Gary Kubiak in attendance. It represents, in theory, small steps toward returning — though Kubiak wouldn't play doctor or articulate what it might mean this week. It appears unlikely Manning that will be ready to start the regular-season finale against San Diego. To even have a chance, he would need to practice a full week, which he hasn't done in nearly two months. Regardless of how you feel about Manning, it would sting for his last game with the Broncos and possibly final NFL game to be his worst. The image of his five-completion, four-interception performance Nov. 15 against Kansas City represents a striking contradiction to his five-time MVP career. There was once belief that Manning would be available for the Cincinnati game Sunday. Cold reality replaced optimism when he could not make it through three consecutive practices before Denver played the Steelers in Pittsburgh. His sore left foot required rest. It was a setback — if not predictable, given a nasty injury that is the equivalent of walking on glass. Manning's torn plantar fascia will not heal until the offseason. He is not trending toward the starting lineup. Yet the Chiefs game is not sealed as his final chapter. Is it possible Manning could be available for any role in the San Diego game — meaning more than emergency duty? Yes. That's why he continues aggressive rehab and a throwing program. If the left foot responds — cortisone can alleviate pain but increases the likelihood of a season-ending rupture of the tissue — perhaps he has one game left. Maybe more. It's uncertain. Manning and Kubiak are keeping the door ajar, because enough hope exists to avoid placing Manning on injured reserve. Kubiak continues to handle this situation well, showing respect for Manning and support for Brock Osweiler. It's silly to think Osweiler has suffered a crisis of confidence by not being named the starting

quarterback on Mondays the past two weeks. He knows the business of playing alongside a legend as well as anyone this side of Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. When Osweiler walked out of Wednesday's team meeting, no ambiguity remained. He is the starting quarterback, injected with confidence. The team, as it has since his debut, will rally around Osweiler. The players believe in him. Manning will offer support from the sideline or in the locker room at halftime. Sports spoil happy endings. John Elway and Ray Bourque represent anomalies. Most athletes exit in disappointment. It doesn't change their legacies. In Manning's case, it's hard to envision him walking out as a champion when he can't even walk into the huddle. Manning, 39, makes an easy target for criticism. He has handled this situation with eyes wide open. He recognizes it's not fair to him or the team to play compromised. Still, if healthy enough, it would be fitting if Manning played again. Whether a game, a half or a series. Manning continues to prepare for one more chance. It represents Peyton's potential final chapter in the Book of Manning — going out throwing, not standing on the sideline watching.

Peyton Manning denies allegation he received HGH in 2011 By Troy Renck and Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post December 26, 2015 Peyton Manning issued a statement Saturday night denying allegations in an Al Jazeera investigative report that an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic supplied him with human growth hormone in 2011. "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up," Manning said in the statement. "It never happened. Never. I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up." Manning missed the 2011 season because of four neck surgeries and joined the Broncos as a free agent prior to the 2012 season. The NFL collective bargaining agreement ratified in 2011 banned the use of HGH. However, the league did not begin testing for the substance until 2014. No NFL player has tested positive for HGH. The NFL, players association and Broncos declined comment on the report. According to the Al-Jazeera documentary "The Dark Side," British hurdler Liam Collins went undercover to expose the rampant use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports. As part of his investigation, Collins met with Charles Sly, a former pharmacist at the anti-aging Guyer Clinic in Indianapolis. Sly said he mailed HGH to Manning's wife, Ashley, to avoid any link to the quarterback. Collins gained fame in 2009 when he reached the semifinals of "Britain's Got Talent" as part of the Faces of Disco with his cousin. Collins received a 14-year ban in 2013 for bilking investors in a multimillion property scheme. In a follow-up interview with Al Jazeera, Sly recanted the allegations, saying they "are absolutely false and incorrect." Sly said Collins took advantage of him during a vulnerable time in his life following the death of his fiancée. Ari Fleischer, who heads a sports communications company and is an adviser to Manning, slammed the accusations in an interview with The Denver Post on Saturday night, calling the report "junk journalism." "There's no truth to it," Fleischer said. "What they have is a well-known con man from England who secretly recorded a former intern." Sly was an unpaid intern at The Guyer Institute from February 2013-May 2013, according to Fleischer. This disputes information in the documentary, which says Sly worked at the institute in 2011. Sly confirmed Fleischer's account, telling ESPN on Saturday that he worked at the institute in 2013, not in 2011 as the Al Jazeera report alleges. According to Fleischer, Manning was a patient of The Guyer Institute in the fall of 2011 for rehabilitation from neck surgeries. Manning has not been a patient since, Fleischer said. Manning told ESPN on Saturday night: "Yes, I have been a patient under Dr. Guyer. I have had nutrient therapy, oxygen therapy and other treatments that are holistic in nature but never HGH."

Manning, 39, has not played since Nov. 15 after exiting in the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs following his fourth interception. An MRI the following day confirmed torn plantar fascia in his left foot.

Can Brock Osweiler deliver Monday night in the biggest game of his NFL career? By Troy Renck and Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post December 26, 2015 Renck: Frame Brock Osweiler's season with those of inexperienced NFL quarterbacks, and he has been solid. He has thrown for 1,436 yards and eight touchdowns and tossed four interceptions. He is 3-2 as a starter. Again, serviceable. The problem is, the Broncos aren't in the business of rebuilding or developing prospects. They have a championship-caliber defense. Osweiler is capable of leading the Broncos to victory if the offensive scheme is adjusted to create better options after his first read. Jhabvala: Osweiler has proven he can do it in big settings. He did it in Chicago, in freezing temperatures on the road and against his former coaches. He did it at home, in snow against the then-unbeaten Patriots. Consistency has and continues to be the issue — for him and the Denver offense. Osweiler and the Broncos went 25 consecutive possessions without scoring a touchdown. Then they turned in four consecutive drives resulting in touchdowns in the first two quarters at Pittsburgh before going dormant again. Renck: The Broncos' second-half production has gone from puzzling to pitiful. Denver hasn't scored in the third quarter in six games this season. The Broncos have been outscored 36-0 in the second half of the past three games. Osweiler has shown he can play well with a 15-play script. In the second half, he needs to counterpunch. This offense averages three shots downfield per game. Osweiler is 5-for-22 with one touchdown and two interceptions on passes of 20-plus yards. If he doesn't connect on one Monday night against Cincinnati, Denver won't win. Jhabvala: This offense begins and ends with the running game. The Broncos gained 88 of their 104 yards rushing in the first half against Pittsburgh. And we know how the final two quarters unfolded. The Broncos had only 34 yards rushing in their loss to Oakland. Compare that with the previous three victories, in which they averaged 161 yards rushing, and it's clear this offense thrives and survives on a balanced attack. Renck: There is no guarantee that Peyton Manning will play again this season. My gut feeling is that his injured left foot will allow one more game, whether that's against San Diego in the regular-season finale or in a playoff game. The Broncos can win with Osweiler. But he needs help. It's time for veteran tight end Vernon Davis to stop alligator-arming in the clutch and deliver his first touchdown reception since the 2014 season opener. And it's time for Demaryius Thomas to produce a signature moment this season, either on a score or a critical third down. Jhabvala: The drops on crucial downs have been painful — and you would like to see Thomas, especially, have one big game, if only for a confidence builder. But the drops alone can't be blamed for the offense's inefficiency late in close games.

Peyton Manning has 'really good' throwing session; T.J. Ward, Darian Stewart questionable By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post December 26, 2015 Peyton Manning, who continues to rehabilitate from a partially torn plantar fascia in his left foot, had a throwing session in the Broncos' indoor practice facility early Saturday that coach Gary Kubiak viewed before the full team took the field. "It went really well," Kubiak said Saturday. "He had a good week, worked really hard this morning — well, he worked every morning, but worked out really hard this morning conditioning-wise and throwing-wise. I was over there and saw it first-hand. I thought it was a really good week, so real positive." Manning scaled back his practice regimen after experiencing pain following a Dec. 17 workout. This week, Manning has followed the regimen he was on two weeks ago in an effort to ease his way back onto the field without causing further damage to his foot. "He probably worked harder today than he did the other two days, to be honest with you, but it was a good workout," said Kubiak, who emphasized that Saturday's session wasn't any bigger than past ones for Manning. "It's just, 'Let's go, let's have a good week and let's work,' and that's what he did." Manning was not on the field during the early viewing period of Saturday's team practice. Safety status update. The Broncos' depleted safety corps got their two starters back Saturday, and possibly for Monday, as well. T.J. Ward, who suffered an ankle injury Nov. 29 against New England and has missed the last three games, went through the third consecutive workout this week and appears on track to play Monday against Cincinnati. Darian Stewart, who was inactive at Pittsburgh because of a hamstring injury and who did not practice earlier in the week, returned to the field Saturday, as expected. Kubiak said both felt good in their workouts and both are listed as questionable to play Monday. "One thing with (hamstrings), the biggest thing is getting rest on it," Stewart said. "Trainers and coaches worked with me and they allowed me to get the rest, so I'm ready to go." Fellow safety Omar Bolden, also dealing with a hamstring injury, was again absent from practice and was ruled out against Cincinnati. High stakes. The Broncos, for now, control their own destiny for the playoffs. But after two consecutive losses, to the Raiders and Steelers, their lock on the AFC West and a playoff berth are no longer tight.

Denver needs a win against Cincinnati plus a Kansas City loss or tie, or a tie against Cincinnati plus a Kansas City loss to clinch the AFC West. To secure a playoff spot, the Broncos need a win plus a loss or tie by the Jets or Steelers, or a tie plus a loss by the Jets or Steelers. The pressure is mounting, but Broncos players say they remain calm. "We're just confident in how we play the game," Stewart said. "We know this is a must-win for us and we just have to go out and play. We don't approach it any different." Footnotes. Inside linebacker Todd Davis (shoulder) was limited at practice Saturday and is listed as questionable to play Monday. ... Running back C.J. Anderson (back/ankle) and outside linebacker Lerentee McCray (hamstring) practiced in full Saturday and are listed as probable to play Monday. ... Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert (concussion) was ruled out of Monday's game. Bengals safety George Iloka (groin) is listed as doubtful.

Q&A: Mike Tirico talks 'MNF,' NBA on Christmas, Peyton Manning, more By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post December 26, 2015 Since 1991, ESPN and ABC Sports play-by-play announcer and commentator Mike Tirico has covered everything from golf, to college basketball and football, to the NBA, to the FIFA World Cup and, since 2005, "Monday Night Football." He's been on SportsCenter. He's been on radio. He's been in studio. He's been in the booth. He's done it all and, in this past week alone, he'll have had to cram as much as possible around the holidays. Since last Monday, Tirico will have gone from the Lions' victory over the Saints on Monday Night Football in New Orleans, to the Bulls' overtime victory against the Thunder in Oklahoma City as part of ABC's Christmas Day double-header, to the Broncos' Monday Night game against the Bengals in Denver, on ESPN. No rest for the weary. In the middle of his whirlwind trip, Tirico spoke with The Post to detail his busy week, his expectations for the Broncos as they make their 68th all-time appearance on Monday Night Football, his thoughts on Peyton Manning's future and much more. Q: Start to finish, what is a Monday Night Football production like for you? A: "I find a FedEx or business center at the hotel and print out my charts from my computer. I put all my notes for the week on my computer and get that printed out in the morning. Then we do our meeting in the morning. We meet by phone earlier in the week and communicate constantly by email or phone during the week with our production group. But about 30 of us get together Monday morning before the game and we go through all of the things we're going to talk about and show before the game starts, the key elements that we'll bring into the game and just have a conversation about what our plans are if the game is close and tight, if the game becomes one-sided. Once that meeting ends, mid-afternoon, I go back and scan through all of my notes one more time and just make sure I got a detail missing here that I want to fill in and am clear on the playoff picture and the other stuff going on around the league. Then I try to get a workout in and get to the stadium around four hours before kick." Q: Do you have a favorite Monday Night game that you've covered? A: "A favorite would be hard to say. The most memorable for certain for me was the third game we did. We're finishing our 10th year on Monday in Denver. It'll be 10 years on ESPN and the 46th year of the series (it ran on ABC from 1970 to 2005), and I would say the game that has stuck in my mind for the longest time is the third game we did, which was September 2006 and it was when the Superdome reopened for the first time after Hurricane Katrina. The game was significant because it marked the real national announcement of the Saints' rebirth as a football team. They went on to get to the NFC Championship that year, one game shy of the Super Bowl. But for the city of New Orleans, it was the first opportunity that city had to announce to the world that New Orleans was open for business again

post-Katrina, and sports was a vehicle for that. It was one incredible night of emotion and passion and just general celebration of a city, which I had never experienced parallel to a football game before." Q: What are your expectations for Broncos-Bengals on Monday? A: "It's an odd one. Usually when you get a game with two teams like this, who have accomplished so much, who are in position to win their divisions, usually the only thing you're talking about is who's going to win the games and probably have to host the other team in a couple of weeks in a divisional playoff. Instead there's great uncertainty. Cincinnati -- I know AJ McCarron won his first start but certainly will be tested against a playoff team. And on the Denver side, this quarterback situation is one of the more intriguing sagas to watch. Not only is it an injured quarterback with the question of 'Will he be ready?' but it's also one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and 'Is this the end?' You just don't write that. "I think what we're honestly thinking is, if Peyton Manning is healthy -- that's the No. 1 qualifier -- i f he's healthy enough to play, doesn't he have to play in a playoff game? You could have never imagined asking that question even in September or October, and now it's a real question. To me, that's the biggest intrigue here. "You know (Manning) wants to play, and I know he does not want it to end like this at all. There's too much pride. But there's also too much respect for the game for any grandstanding or any shenanigans. Peyton Manning has been an exemplary teammate by every account throughout his career, and whatever he's asked to do, whether begrudgingly or not, I know a person of Peyton's character will do it and do the right thing." Q: Can the Broncos' defense take them all the way, in spite of the offense's struggles? A: "They might have to. And I think the concern on that end is the injury attrition that's happening over there. If they're not healthy enough on the defensive end, then they can't get into these 13-10 games and expect to win them. So would you then be asking (Brock) Osweiler, who looks the part and looks to be a very talented quarterback -- now you're asking him to not only win higher-scoring games, but do it against presumably the best defenses in the league. What you're going to see with Cincinnati and then whoever you're going to see in the playoffs, you're going to see the best defenses the AFC has . The Patriots, the Cincinnati defense is excellent and tough on young quarterbacks, the Jets, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, even Houston. Houston is not a walk in the park if you end up facing them. This is a great sample, for the second-straight week, what it's going to be like to go up against a playoff-caliber defense in a pressure game. If (Osweiler) is being prepared for the postseason, the last game and this game will be great preparation. "The other huge part of this game is, depending what happens Sunday, Denver can go from in control for a No. 2 seed, to no control of getting in the playoffs, which you couldn't have forecast mid-season. That's how much is on the line. That's why this is such a huge game for the Broncos this week. Cincinnati is already in the playoffs. They need that bye, they need that No. 2 seed for a lot of reasons. Mainly they need the by to get their starting quarterback (Andy Dalton, thumb) any chance of playing. But there's no playing for Denver if the wrong things happen Sunday. So there's huge pressure on these games." Q: How is it transitioning between Monday Night Football to NBA Christmas Day and back again? A: "It's the fun time of the year where the NBA games are on Friday and I fly right from our game in Oklahoma City to Denver for the game. I've been on the road for the last 14 years on Christmas Day. It's

one of the unfortunates that comes with the job, but it's part of calling the NBA on national TV. NBA Christmas Day is like Thanksgiving to the NFL -- it's such a big day. This is the time of the year where you maximize your time and strive for ultimate efficiency. I got home from New Orleans (Tuesday morning) and my son and I did a couple of quick errands for Christmas shopping, then I was back starting to work on Broncos a little bit, then I hopped over to the Oklahoma City Thunder, then did some Cincinnati and then did some Chicago Bulls. It's a little scattered, but you have to just take out one thumb drive, pop the other one in, focus on that, then go to the next one. "The packing is hard. The seven-day Weather-Channel forecast is one of my favorites. I know it's going to be cold Monday night, so I'm packing winter stuff for Denver and then I'm going to be with my family in vacation in Florida after that, so I have to pack for all that in addition to all the other stuff. But it's fun. It's nothing new. We've done this for a long time and it's the fun time of the year, and I'm blessed to have a very understanding family to help make this possible."

Week 16 NFL Preview: Playoff implications in marquee games By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post December 26, 2015 With two weeks left in the regular season, many teams still have hope of playing in the postseason. The top two seeds can be determined in the AFC and the NFC. The Jets are in a nearly must-win situation for a playoff berth, while the Patriots can lock up the AFC's best record and home-field advantage. The Cardinals and Packers have locked up playoff slots, but their game is about a shot at a first-round bye. Game of the week: PACKERS (10-4) AT CARDINALS (12-2); 2:25 P.M., KDVR-31 Arizona has arguably the best offense in football to go with its turnover-causing defense. The Packers haven't looked right all season, but they're in the driver's seat for the NFC North title. PATRIOTS (12-2) AT JETS (9-5), 11 A.M. The Jets, who have won four straight, have the type of defense that has given the Patriots fits this season. New York can't afford another loss, with the Chiefs and Steelers also fighting for the AFC's two wild-card slots. TEXANS (7-7) AT TITANS (3-11), 11 A.M. It's in your hands, Houston. Beat the Titans without Marcus Mariota, then Jacksonville in Week 17 to capture the AFC South title. BROWNS (3-11) AT CHIEFS (9-5) , 11 A.M. Kansas City's eight-game winning streak has put it in prime playoff position, while putting heat on Denver in the AFC West. COLTS (6-8) AT DOLPHINS (5-9), 11 A.M. Indy's playoff hopes could end against Miami in a battle of two underachieving teams. 49ERS (4-10) AT LIONS (5-9), 11 A.M. San Francisco is a double-digit underdog to a bad Detroit team. That's all you need to know about the 49ers' season. COWBOYS (4-10) AT BILLS (6-8), 11 A.M. The quarterback conversation will be interesting come draft time, because Tony Romo can't stay healthy and Dallas can't win without him.

BEARS (5-9) AT BUCCANEERS (6-8), 11 A.M. The Lovie Bowl, with Tampa Bay head coach Lovie Smith facing his former team. Both have shown flashes of success but lack the talent both sides of the ball to compete for a playoff berth. PANTHERS (14-0) AT FALCONS (7-7), 11 A.M. Early in the season, this set up as a showdown. The teams met two weeks ago, with Carolina posting a 38-0 victory. STEELERS (9-5) AT RAVENS (4-10), 11 A.M. The Ravens could salvage some pride from a lost season and severely damage the Steelers' playoff chances. JAGUARS (5-9) AT SAINTS (5-9), 2:05 P.M. An offensive shootout is coming in New Orleans, as both teams rank in the league's bottom three for most points allowed. RAMS (6-8) AT SEAHAWKS (9-5), 2:25 P.M. Seattle can't win its division, but can get the better of the two wild-card spots. GIANTS (6-8) AT VIKINGS (9-5), 6:30 P.M., KUSA-9 No Odell Beckham Jr. in a game New York needs to keep its playoff hopes alive. Minnesota locks up a playoff berth with a win.

Broncos vs. Bengals Week 16: Who has the edge? By Cameron Wolfe Denver Post December 26, 2015 WHEN THE BRONCOS RUN Consistency has been the problem in Denver's running game this season. Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson combined for 18 carries and 62 yards against Pittsburgh last week. Those numbers aren't terrible, but with the Broncos up big in the first half, that's the time to run the ball well and they couldn't do it. Brock Osweiler threw 44 passes, way too many. Cincinnati has the NFL's fifth-best run defense — led by tough-to-block tackle Geno Atkins, who is having a great year. Edge: Bengals WHEN THE BENGALS RUN Denver, which has the best run defense in the league, held Pittsburgh tailback DeAngelo Williams to 26 yards on 14 carries. The expected return of safety T.J. Ward from an injury should make Denver's defense even better. Cincinnati plays two tailbacks, Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard, but neither has contributed much on the ground this year. Edge: Broncos WHEN THE BRONCOS PASS Osweiler looked like a Pro Bowl quarterback during the first half of the Pittsburgh game, accounting for four touchdowns. But in the second half, he was only 7-of-26 passing for 82 yards and an interception. Emmanuel Sanders' performance helped produce the offense's big first half. The Broncos need that type of production for four quarters. Bengals safety Reggie Nelson leads the NFL with eight interceptions and cornerback Adam Jones is playing the best football of his career. Edge: Bengals WHEN THE BENGALS PASS For the first time in six starts, Osweiler will have more experience than the opponent's starting QB. Cincinnati's AJ McCarron will be making only his second start — and he could be without Tyler Eifert, who leads NFL tight ends with 12 touchdowns. Denver's pass defense had a rough outing at Pittsburgh but should bounce back Monday. Edge: Broncos SPECIAL TEAMS Adam Jones is more than a veteran cornerback. He also is the Bengals' best specialist. Jones is averaging 11.2 yards per punt return and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Broncos punter Britton Colquitt has struggled most of the season, giving opponents great field position at the worst time. Colquitt's average of 43.6 yards per attempt is fifth-worst among NFL punters. Cincinnati's Mike Nugent and Denver's Brandon McManus have been solid place- kickers all season.

Edge: Bengals Who steps up? Last week at Pittsburgh, it was Emmanuel Sanders with a career-high 181 yards receiving for the Broncos. But most of his production came during the first half, and there wasn't anyone to help carry the load. It can't all be on Brock Osweiler. Sanders, Demaryius Thomas, Vernon Davis, C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman all need to step up and contribute to get the Denver offense playing better. Monday's game in Denver probably will be decided by which team has the most playmakers step up and contribute. Play four quarters The Broncos looked like a Super Bowl team in the first half of the Pittsburgh game, but for the third consecutive week laid an egg in the second half. They have been outscored 36-0 in the second half of the past three games, losing two. Coach Gary Kubiak says he will make different halftime adjustments, but it's about the players on the field. The offense can't take its foot off the pedal and expect the defense to bail it out. Mission on D: Stop A.J. Pittsburgh wide receivers burned Denver's secondary. Poor tackling and penalties hurt the Broncos' coverage. The big threat this week is Cincinnati star A.J. Green, a 6-foot-4, 207-pound wide receiver who ranks sixth in the NFL in yards receiving. Denver cornerback Aqib Talib probably will draw the bulk of the snaps against Green. Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati's Pro Bowl tight end, may not be able to play because of a concussion.

Manning denies report that says he took HGH in 2011 By Mike Klis 9 News December 26, 2015 Denver Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning has strongly denied a documentary report that asserts he took human growth hormone and other drugs to aid his recovery from neck surgeries in 2011 when he was in his final season with the Indianapolis Colts. "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up," Manning said in a personal statement through the Broncos. "It never happened. Never. I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up." The report by Al Jazeera alleges an Indianapolis anti-aging sports clinic mailed HGH and other sports-enhancement drugs to Ashley Manning, Peyton's wife, in 2011. Manning missed that entire season because of the four neck surgeries. After that season, the Colts released Manning to free agency where the Broncos took a chance by signing him to a five-year, $96 million contract. Only the first year and $18 million of that contract was fully guaranteed. HGH was not deemed to be in violation of the NFL's performance enhancement policy until league owners reached a new collective bargaining agreement with players in late-July 2011. HGH has long been considered illegal in the United States without a prescription. "All the time we would be sending Ashley Manning drugs," pharmacist Charlie Sly said in the video report. "Like growth hormone all the time, everywhere, Florida. And it would never be under Peyton's name, it would always be under her name." Peyton and his wife Ashley do have an offseason home near the Miami, Florida area. In his first two seasons in Denver, Manning led the team to a combined 28-8 record – including the postseason which included a trip to Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season -- with 100 touchdown passes against 26 interceptions. Sly has recanted his statements to Al Jazeera, saying his claims about supplying drugs to athletes are "absolutely false and incorrect." He said the recordings were made "without my knowledge or consent." Manning is one of several prominent athletes named in the report, including Green Bay Packers' Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews III, the Pittsburghy Steelers' James Harrison, Philadelphia Phillies' slugger Ryan Howard, Washington Nationals' third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and former boxer Mike Tyson. Manning is currently rehabbing a left heel injury that has caused him to miss six games – including the Broncos' game Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bronco notes: Peyton, safety update; Marshall snub By Mike Klis 9 News December 26, 2015 An injury hex has seemingly infiltrated the safety section of the Denver Broncos' defensive back meeting room in recent weeks. Starting strong safety T.J. Ward was sidelined three weeks with a high left ankle sprain. His replacement David Bruton Jr. suffered partially torn ligaments in his left knee. Free safety Darian Stewart missed a game with a hamstring strain. His replacement Bruton suffered a season-ending fractured right fibula. The fourth-best safety (and No. 1 returner), Omar Bolden, will miss his third consecutive game Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals because of a hamstring strain. "Oh no, we're good," Stewart said Saturday. "We're getting everybody back. We're going to be all right this week." Although Ward and Stewart are listed as questionable, both are expected to play against the Bengals. "I'm ready to go," Stewart said. Marshall snub Broncos inside linebacker Brandon Marshall is the No. 1 tackler on the NFL's No. 1 defense. Shouldn't that count for something? Not to Pro Bowl voters. Marshall was a Pro Bowl alternate – so there's a decent chance he could eventually play in the game – but the four Pro Bowl inside linebackers elected were San Francisco's NaVorro Bowman, Carolina's Luke Kuechly, Seattle's Bobby Wagner and Green Bay's Clay Matthews III. Hard to argue with any of them. But Marshall should have made it. "I thought so," Marshall said. "Peyton told me he thought I should have made it, too.'' Peyton Manning should know – the Broncos' quarterback has been named to the Pro Bowl team an NFL record 14 times (just not this year). Kuechly missed three games with a concussion, although he is one of the league's most dominant defensive players. Bowman has bounced back from a gruesome knee injury to second in the league with 135 tackles – one less than Indianapolis' D'Qwell Jackson. Bowman's story was difficult for voters to resist. Wagner is the heart-and-soul of the Seattle Seahawks defense. Matthews is primarily a pass-rushing outside linebacker who lines up inside in Green Bay's base defense. Green Bay did him a favor by listing him as an inside backer. "I'm OK with those guys," Marshall said. "I just think Clay Matthews plays there half of the time. Come on, man. I wish I would have made it, but it's going to be an uphill battle. Hopefully, next year."

Peyton work out It may have been nothing more than a workout. But Manning's individual workout Saturday morning inside the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse was deemed important enough for Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak to watch. Manning will miss his sixth consecutive game Monday because of a partially torn plantar fascia in his left heel. "It went really well," Kubiak said. "He had a good week, worked really hard this morning. Well, he worked every morning, but worked out really hard this morning conditioning-wise and throwing-wise.'' Manning has one more chance this season -- in what could be his final season -- to set the all-time victory record for a quarterback. Manning and Brett Favre are currently tied with 186 career wins. Manning has 33 fewer losses than Favre. The Broncos' final regular-season game is next Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. Manning would have to start that game to get credit for the win or loss. Manning's .702 regular-season winning percentage is fourth all-time behind Tom Brady (.778), Roger Staubach (.746) and Joe Montana (.713). Simmons watches Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips walked off the indoor practice field to the sidelines Saturday, put a one-arm hug around Bob Simmons' neck and said to a person standing nearby: "This here is a legend." Simmons is currently the head coach of Boulder High School. He was watching the Broncos' practice with some of his players. Simmons doesn't get near the credit he deserves for being a key recruiter during the University of Colorado Buffaloes' heyday with head coach Bill McCartney. Simmons would get inner-city kids from Los Angeles, Houston, New Orleans and Detroit to consider CU. McCartney would come in and close the deal. "Coach Mac was The Closer,'' Simmons said. When McCartney surprisingly retired as CU head coach following the 1994 season, Simmons, who is black, was bypassed in favor of the far-less credentialed Rick Neuheisel, who is white. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Coalition protested CU's hire. Simmons moved on to Oklahoma State where he became the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 1997.

Monday Night doesn't scare AJ 'Big Saturday' McCarron By Mike Klis 9 News December 26, 2015 Not one NFL quarterback has played in more big Saturday games than the Cincinnati Bengals' AJ McCarron. Not Tom Brady when he was at Michigan. Not Peyton Manning at Tennessee. Not Drew Brees at Purdue or Ben Roethlisberger at Miami (Ohio) or Andrew Luck at Stanford or Cam Newton at Florida/Auburn or Jameis Winston at Florida State, Marcus Mariota was close at Oregon but he only played three years for the Ducks. McCarron was a four-year starting quarterback for the University of Alabama. "Yeah, I can tell,'' said Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak. "I had him last year—I spent a day and a half with him in Baltimore (where Kubiak was the Ravens' offensive coordinator in 2014.) We were very interested in him as a player before the draft. He's a very confident young man in his abilities. He's played in a lot of big games. He was coached hard, you can tell that when you talk to him. You see it. He's on a good football team right now. He went to San Francisco and handled the ball game well.'' McCarron's Crimson Tide were national champions to cap his sophomore and junior seasons and they were ranked No. 1 most of his senior season until an Auburn field goal touchdown return spoiled the first national champion three-peat since the 1934-36 Minnesota Golden Gophers. McCarron's Sunday resume is sparse, although he does have one win in his only start -- last week on the road against the 49ers. But subbing for the injured Andy Dalton and leading the 11-3 Bengals into Denver for a Monday night, AFC showdown against the 10-4 Broncos (kickoff at 6:30 p.m. on Denver's KDTV Channel 20) is just another prime time contest for McCarron. "The field is the same length and width," McCarron said earlier this week in a conference call with the Denver media. "You're just going out and playing football. That's something that we've done our whole lives--Most of us. I've been playing since the age of 3 turning 4. It's the same game. It hasn't changed. We just have to go out and play.''

Broncos happy to see DBs T.J. Ward, Darian Stewart back on field together By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com December 26, 2015 It is a sign of the times for the Denver Broncos that it’s been almost a month since the last time they saw what happened at the team’s practice Saturday. That was safeties T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart on the field, taking part in the same practice. Ward has missed the past three games with a left ankle injury and Stewart missed last Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a hamstring injury. As a result, the last time Ward and Stewart had taken part in a full practice together was Nov. 27, two days before Ward suffered his injury in the Broncos’ win against the New England Patriots. It was certainly a welcome sight for the Broncos as safety David Bruton Jr. was put on injured reserve Tuesday with a fractured right fibula. "(Ward) practiced well today, I feel good about his work," said Broncos coach Gary Kubiak. "But we've still got a lot of time between now and game time. He and Darian both, I felt good about their work (Saturday)." Officially, the Broncos listed Ward and Stewart as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, the expectation is that both will be available to play unless they have some kind of setback over the next two days. Despite missing three games, Ward is still third on the team in tackles with 57 and Stewart is tied for fourth in tackles -- with cornerback Chris Harris Jr. -- with 52. The Broncos’ defense, despite surrendering 34 points to the Steelers and 380 yards passing to Ben Roethlisberger last Sunday still enters the league’s games this weekend ranked No. 1 in total defense, No. 1 in pass defense, No. 1 in sacks and No. 1 in run defense. Ward had practiced on a limited basis, for the first time all three days this week, but Stewart had been held out of practice until the team’s workout Saturday. "It felt good," Stewart said. "I think my confidence is there and I'll be ready to go ... One thing with (hamstring injuries), the biggest thing is getting rest on it. Trainers and coaches worked with me and they allowed me to get the rest, so I'm ready to go."

Gary Kubiak says Peyton Manning had 'good workout' By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com December 26, 2015 Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who has not played since Nov. 15, finished up what Broncos coach Gary Kubiak called a "really good week'' of work with a Saturday morning throwing session with the team's strength and conditioning staff. Manning, who has a tear in the plantar fascia near his left heel, had returned to practice for two days leading up to last weekend's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers but had experienced soreness in the foot and the Broncos held him out of practice the Friday before their loss in Pittsburgh as well as this week. Manning, instead, did morning throwing sessions when the remainder of the team attended meetings. Kubiak attended Manning's throwing session Saturday but had viewed the others on video. "[Manning] worked really hard this morning conditioning-wise and throwing wise,'' Kubiak said after the team's practice Saturday. "It was good. They were all good workouts this week. He probably worked harder [Saturday] than he did the other two days in all honesty, but it was a good workout.'' Manning's workout schedule did not change this week, but he had said Wednesday that Saturday's workout was "big" -- which some interpreted as more important, when Kubiak actually meant it would be a full conditioning workout in addition to throwing. "I know. I need to shut up,'' Kubiak said with a smile Saturday. The Broncos play the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night, so it is expected Kubiak as well as Manning and the team's medical staff will decide Tuesday whether the 39-year-old will make another attempt to return to practice in the coming week. The Broncos finish out the regular season Jan. 3 against the San Diego Chargers. Asked Saturday whether he could say Manning would practice with the team next week, Kubiak said: "We had a good week. Let's go from there ... It's just, 'Let's go, let's have a good week, let's work,' and that's what he did. I won't go beyond that.'' The Broncos are 3-2 in Brock Osweiler's starts. Manning has not participated in a full practice since Nov. 13.

Broncos will need many hands to fill safety David Bruton Jr.'s roles By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com December 26, 2015 On the day this past week the Denver Broncos officially told safety David Bruton Jr. his season was over, which was one day after the Broncos’ medical staff had told Bruton his right fibula was fractured, Bruton still kept to his appointed rounds. He just did it with a crutch jammed under each arm. And when the Broncos had a bike giveaway for some children from the Denver Boys and Girls Club, Bruton, a devotee of cycling in the offseason, was right in the middle of the smiling faces, just as he was scheduled to be. "I’m always excited being around bikes again," Bruton said with a laugh. "Seeing the kids pick out the bike and go pedal it. I wouldn’t miss that, too much fun." And the kids? Well, the kids love the Broncos, they love bikes, and the guy on crutches is a guy who wouldn’t have missed a bike giveaway for the world. But Bruton is a guy the Broncos will miss in whatever becomes of the remainder of their season. "They were saying things like 'Oh, you’re the one who broke his leg,' things like that," Bruton said. "I said 'yeah, that’s me, sadly that’s me,' but just because I’m hurt doesn’t mean I would miss something like that. Just because I’m not on the field doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be in the community. People do things to help all the time when maybe they have some kind of issue going on. I’m not going to take myself out of things like that, a broken leg shouldn’t hinder me from doing that." Bruton fractured his leg on the defense’s 15th play in the loss in Pittsburgh a week ago. He played 65 plays -- on defense and special teams combined after he suffered the injury, and was carried to the locker room by Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan and a team trainer. Initially he said he "thought it was a bruise," but an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam later showed the fracture. Bruton had also hoped the Broncos could keep him on the 53-man roster with the slim hope he could get back on the field if the team made it deep enough into the postseason. But with other injuries at safety -- both T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart did not play against the Steelers -- the Broncos could not hold the roster space, so Bruton’s season is done. "When they told me it was broke, it was definitely upsetting, definitely hurt," Bruton said. "Especially after working so hard and finally getting a chance to play, to contribute to such a great defense and not be able to finish what we started." Bruton had been the longest-tenured Broncos player -- he was a fourth-round pick in the 2009 draft -- on the team’s roster at the time of his injury. He had also played 482 snaps on defense (50.4 percent of the team’s total) in a variety of roles, and it was his most playing time on defense in his career -- the kind of workload he’s waited and strived to have.

So, Bruton’s combination of size (6-foot-2, 217 pounds), speed and savvy will certainly be missed on defense. But his injury will also carve a large swath of playing time out of special teams. Bruton has been the team’s special teams captain, and his 271 special teams snaps this season were tied for the most on the team with linebacker Corey Nelson. "Bru, man, you're going to miss him," said cornerback Chris Harris Jr. "He's one of those guys who can do so many things, knows the defense, knows all of the special teams plays and what he did (in Pittsburgh), you're going to miss a guy with all that. The DBs, we'll keep him in involved." "That’s a big adjustment, obviously he was our captain," said special team coordinator Joe DeCamillis. "He’s been a great leader for us. What he did the other day, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before, playing through what he played through. It’s going to be a big adjustment." DeCamillis said because Bruton had played so much on defense -- 58 snaps on defense against the Patriots, 58 snaps against the Chargers and the 77 plays against the Steelers -- the Broncos have had to adjust at least some on special teams in recent weeks. Bruton said he plans to stay engaged as the Broncos continue to battle for playoff positioning. The team needs to win both remaining regular-season games to guarantee a postseason spot. "I’m going to have everything pushed to my iPad, so I’m going to know what guys are doing, I’m going to know the gameplan ... definitely going to be in tuned," Bruton said. "And if I see anyting I’m definitely going to let them know. I don’t plan to take myself out entirely. But they’re the ones who have to play now, and that’s what is going to be tough for me."

Documentary links Peyton Manning, other pro athletes to use of PEDs By ESPN.com News Services ESPN.com December 26, 2015 Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has been listed in a new Al Jazeera report as one of several prominent professional athletes who were supplied illegal performance-enhancing drugs from a pharmacist who once worked at an Indiana-based pharmacy. Al Jazeera's documentary set to air Sunday reports that Manning was given a supply of human growth hormone in 2011 while he was recovering from his 2011 neck surgery from a pharmacist then employed at the anti-aging Guyer Institute in Indiana. The report cites the pharmacist, Charlie Sly, who allegedly spoke to an undercover reporter working for the network. Sly later recanted his story, first to Al Jazeera and then to ESPN. In the documentary, Sly also mentioned Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, Nationals infielder Ryan Zimmerman and boxer Mike Tyson as other athletes who received HGH shipments from him while he worked at the Indianapolis-based Guyer Institute. In the report, titled "The Dark Side," Al Jazeera says in an article shared in advance with The Huffington Post that steroids and other drugs were shipped to the home address of Manning in 2011 in the name of his wife, Ashley Manning. Sly, now based in Austin, Texas, also accused Manning and his wife in the undercover video of going to the clinic after its normal business hours for intravenous treatments. Manning strongly denied the claims to ESPN's Chris Mortensen: "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up. It never happened. Never. I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up." He went on to say that, "Yes, I have been a patient under Dr. Guyer. I have had nutrient therapy, oxygen therapy and other treatments that are holistic in nature but never HGH. My wife (Ashley) has never provided any medication for me to take. Ashley and I never attended the clinic together after hours. There were times when I went in the morning and there were times when I went after practice so this thing about `after hours' is so misleading because it may have been 5:15 pm because their office closed at 5." Sly told ESPN Saturday night that he recanted his story to Al Jazeera when he realized that they had used information he had "made up" to Liam Collins, the undercover reporter who he says was trying to get into the supplementation business. Sly told ESPN he was a student intern at The Guyer Institute in 2013 rather than 2011 as the Al Jazeera story alleges. "When I was there, I had never seen the Mannings ever - they were not even living there at that time," he said. "Someone who worked there said they had been there before. That was the extent of any knowledge I had. I feel badly. I never saw any files. This is just amazing that it reached this point.

"I was trying to determine whether this guy (Collins) was legitimate or just trying to steal some knowledge about the business," Sly said. He added, "When I realized Al Jazeera was using a secret taping and Collins as a so-called investigative reporter, I was baffled. I cannot believe that can happen. That's why I recanted the story. It wasn't true and I was trying to pull one over on Collins to see if he had any idea of what he was talking about." The report links several other athletes to HGH and other drugs, including Packers linebacker Mike Neal, who allegedly introduced teammates Julius Peppers and others to Sly, and mentions Steelers linkebacker James Harrison, defensive end Julius Peppers and Neal as athletes who received shipments of a new performance enhancing drug called Delta-2 from him. The report goes on to say that Sly furnished Clay Matthews with painkillers, and that Howard and Zimmerman received drugs and even Tyson received drugs from Sly. Harrison, Zimmerman and Howard all denied using the drugs to the network Neal, Peppers and Tyson didn't respond to requests for comment, Al Jazeera said.

Peyton Manning strongly denies report he used HGH in 2011 By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press December 27, 2015 Peyton Manning strongly denied a report set to air on Al Jazeera that contends the Denver Broncos quarterback received human growth hormone through his wife during his recovery from neck fusion surgeries in 2011 in Indianapolis. In a statement Saturday night, Manning said: "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up. It never happened. Never." He added, "I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up." The allegations surfaced in an Al Jazeera undercover probe into doping in global sports that is set to air Sunday and was shared in advance with the Huffington Post. The report claims Manning received HGH from an Indianapolis anti-aging clinic in 2011 while he was still with the Colts. It said the drug, which was banned by the NFL in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, was delivered to his wife, Ashley, so that the quarterback's name was never attached to the shipments. Liam Collins, a British hurdler, went undercover and spoke with Charlie Sly, an Austin, Texas-based pharmacist who worked at the Guyer Institute, the Indiana-based anti-aging clinic in 2011. Sly allegedly names Manning and other high profile athletes as having received HGH from the clinic. However, Sly backtracks in a subsequent statement to Al Jazeera, saying Collins secretly recorded his conversations without his knowledge or consent. "The statements on any recordings or communications that Al Jazeera plans to air are absolutely false and incorrect," Sly said. "To be clear, I am recanting any such statements and there is no truth to any statement of mine that Al Jazeera plans to air. Under no circumstances should any of those recordings, statements or communications be aired." The NFL and players union added human growth hormone testing to the collective bargaining agreement signed in 2011 but the side didn't agree to testing terms until 2014. Nobody has tested positive, which would trigger a four-game suspension. Manning, who joined the Broncos in 2012, has been sidelined since Nov. 15 by a left foot injury. Brock Osweiler makes his sixth consecutive start in Manning's place Monday night when the Broncos (10-4) host the Bengals (11-3).

Broncos' secondary finally getting healthier By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press December 26, 2015 The Denver Broncos received a triple dose of good news with word that starting safeties T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart are expected to return to the lineup and they won't have to face Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert on Monday night. "He's got 12 touchdowns in the red zone, so that's his part of the field," Stewart said about Cincinnati's terrific tight end. "Not having him I guess is a big loss for them. So, we're going to be all right, man. We've just got to go out there and play ball and just know where their playmakers are." Jeremy Hill, who has rushed for 10 touchdowns, will be in the backfield Monday night. A.J. Green, who has 1,206 yards receiving and eight touchdown grabs, will line up outside. Quarterback Andy Dalton (hand) is sidelined along with Eifert, who was ruled out Saturday with a concussion. The Broncos (10-4) are expecting Ward to return from a nearly monthlong absence. He sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of Denver's win over New England on Nov. 29. And Stewart is expected to return from a strained hamstring that sidelined him last weekend when the Broncos lost at Pittsburgh. "We've been missing half of our secondary the past several games," lamented defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Stewart and Ward are both officially listed as 50-50 but said they anticipate returning to the lineup Monday night against the Bengals (11-3). "I felt good about their work today," Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said. The Broncos have had several safeties sidelined during their two-game skid in which they've blown double-digit halftime leads in each loss. "We're getting everybody back, so we're going to be all right this week, man," Stewart said. Well, not everybody. Omar Bolden will miss his third consecutive game with a pulled right hamstring and the Broncos placed David Bruton Jr. on IR this week with a broken right leg. They replaced Bruton with free agent Shaun Prater, a fourth-year pro who played a game each for the Colts and Vikings this season. Prater transitioned from cornerback to safety during the Vikings' offseason workouts. He's bounced between 190 and 199 pounds depending on which position he's being asked to play. "Teams that want me to play safety, I try to gain more weight. Teams that want me to play corner, I try to stay where I'm fast," said Prater, who weighed 191 pounds when he signed with Denver on Tuesday.

He said he would add a meal and two shakes to his daily diet to get to 195 by Monday night. This being the holidays, he didn't think that would be difficult, either. Prater is one of three newcomers at safety. Shiloh Keo gave up the winning touchdown catch two weeks ago against Oakland five days after joining the team. Josh Bush was in camp with the Broncos, played two games with Buffalo following his release in October and returned this month to Denver. He's forced a fumble and intercepted a pass in his three games with the Broncos. "Josh is back like he never left," Stewart said. "It's good to have him. He's part of us, man. He deserves the shot that he's getting." Bush played against the Bengals while in Buffalo, so he said this week's game is kind of like a divisional rematch for him. Stewart also has familiarity with the Bengals, having played in Baltimore last season. AJ McCarron gets his second start when the Bengals try to win a Monday night road game for the first time since 1990. He led the Bengals past San Francisco 24-14 last week in his first career start. Bolden had hoped to return this week but now is targeting the regular season finale against San Diego. "I know we need me back," Bolden said. "I'm feeling better this week. The only tough thing with my injury is I'm a speed guy and my injury causes me not to go fast. ... I can't put myself in bad situations and put my team in bad situations."

Kubiak: Osweiler's eye better, Manning has good week By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press December 26, 2015 Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said Brock Osweiler's eye infection has largely cleared up and Peyton Manning had a good week of work. Osweiler will make his sixth consecutive start Monday night when the Broncos (10-4) host the Bengals (11-3). Manning will be inactive again. He hasn't played since tearing the plantar fascia in his left foot Nov. 15. After having a setback last week, Manning returned to throwing on his own indoors this week. Kubiak watched video of Manning's workouts, but he set off a firestorm Thursday when he offhandedly mentioned he'd witness Manning's "big workout on Saturday." Truth is, it wasn't as pivotal as many media outlets portrayed it. "Yeah, I know. I need to shut up," Kubiak said Saturday, shaking his head. "It was a workout. It was a 'Friday' workout." And a good one at that, he added. "They were all good workouts this week," Kubiak said. "He probably worked out harder today than he did the other two days, in all honesty, but it was a real good workout." Kubiak demurred when asked if that would help him decide to have Manning return to practice with his teammates next week. "No. We had a good week. Let's go from there, OK?" Kubiak said. "It's just, 'Let's go, let's have a good week, let's work.' That's what he did. I won't go beyond that." Rookie Trevor Siemian is the only truly healthy quarterback on the roster right now. Osweiler banged up his left (non-throwing) shoulder when he scrambled for 7 yards in the second quarter against the Steelers last weekend and he awoke Tuesday morning with a left eye infection. Osweiler said his shoulder was OK and he could see clearly enough "to find the open receiver." "He's fine," Kubiak said. "We got him to a doctor I think Wednesday afternoon. He's OK." Manning has been on the sideline the last two games but Kubiak wasn't sure if the five-time MVP would watch from the field or the Broncos locker room Monday night, when it's expected to be clear but cold. Siemian made his NFL debut last week, albeit for a kneel-down just before halftime. Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison said he has faith in the seventh-round draft pick from Northwestern if Siemian is pressed into duty.

"You can give him a large percentage" of the playbook, Dennison said. "He's been around. Certainly you wouldn't want to give him a whole lot. I feel really good about where he is. (Quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp) has done a good job of making sure he's up to date. We get him out there practicing and covering everything in the meetings."

Peyton Manning calls report of HGH shipments 'totally made up' By Lindsay Jones USA Today December 26, 2015 Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning issued a statement Saturday night calling a report from Al-Jazeera that links him to a doping ring “garbage” and said it is “totally made up.” The report was previewed by the Huffington Post, which published a story Saturday night detailing Al-Jazeera's work. The original report is scheduled to be available Sunday. The report alleges that Manning in 2011 received human growth hormone shipped under his wife’s name. Manning missed the 2011 season while recovering from a series of neck surgeries. He signed with the Denver Broncos in 2012 and won the NFL’s MVP award in 2013. "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up. It never happened. Never. I really can’t believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up,” Manning said in a personal statement that was released through the Broncos. The report connected Manning with a Texas pharmacist, Charlie Sly, who was linked to an anti-aging clinic in Indiana, and contains an undercover video of Sly telling a British hurdler of his alleged dealings with Manning. It also includes subsequent video of Sly recanting his statements about Manning. The league outlawed HGH in the collective bargaining agreement in 2011, but the NFL and NFL Players Association could not agree on testing protocols until 2014. No players have tested positive. Manning has been sidelined for six weeks while dealing with a foot injury. He will not play in the Broncos’ game on Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals, but the team has declined to address his status beyond this week. At 39, and after dealing with foot, shoulder and rib injuries this year, Manning’s future beyond this season is in doubt. He is one regular-season win shy of breaking Brett Favre’s record for most wins by a starting quarterback.

Broncos coach Gary Kubiak downplays Peyton Manning's 'big' workout By Lindsay Jones USA Today December 26, 2015 Two days ago, Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak used the word “big” to describe Peyton Manning’s scheduled Saturday throwing session and conditioning workout, but now said he erred in his language. The workout was different only in intensity from what Manning did on Wednesday and Thursday, before the Broncos were given Friday off for Christmas. Kubiak watched the workout live and said it went well. But the session won’t lead to any change in Manning’s status for Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals (he’s out) or lead the Broncos to make any definitive declarations about Manning’s future. “I need to shut up,” Kubiak said, laughing. “It was a workout, it was a Friday workout. It was good. They were all good workouts this week, but he probably worked harder today than he did the other two days in all honesty, but it was a good week.” Manning will miss his sixth game because of a torn plantar fascia in his left foot. He suffered a setback in his recovery last week after practicing for two days, and he was limited to just individual workouts this week.

Bell Tolls: 'Concussion' will make you think By Jarrett Bell USA Today December 26, 2015 When the New York Giants pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in NFL history nearly eight years ago in Super Bowl XLII, Peter Landesman was not unlike many supporters who reveled in the glory. But no longer.A native New Yorker who followed the Big Apple's sports teams for years, he remembers the day when the New England Patriots' bid for a perfect season was squashed as one of his most cherished memories as a fan. Landesman, the director of Concussion, which opened in theaters nationwide on Christmas, won't host any viewing parties in a few weeks for Super Bowl 50. He won't even watch football. "I'm not telling others what to do, but for myself, I can't watch football without being complicit," Landesman told USA TODAY Sports. "I don't want to be part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution." With Concussion, which dramatizes the role of forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu in discovering the brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and NFL efforts to discredit his science and any link to football, Landesman has provided a significant film that at the very least adds a powerful layer to the conversation about the long-term effects of concussions. In taking the story to Hollywood — with Will Smith brilliantly playing Omalu — the NFL's concussion crisis will undoubtedly reach a broader audience. The film humanizes Omalu and the plight of several former NFL players, including Mike Webster, Dave Duerson, Andre Waters and Justin Strzelczyk, who struggled emotionally before their tragic deaths and were posthumously found to have CTE. Landesman, who said that he played football for two years at Brown, said he aimed to separate the players and the game from the deception he sees of the NFL. That's why, for as big of a football fan as he was for years, he can no longer watch. While the NFL's TV ratings and other measures of popularity are at or near all-time highs, Landesman's position embodies one of the biggest threats to the NFL: fans will become so put off by the concussion issues — with 87 former players who have died found to have CTE — that they will eventually tune away. "I'm a walking, talking version of the conflict and contradiction that the film is about," Landesman said. "I can no longer accept the price that people pay to play the game." Landesman's previous work includes the critically-acclaimed Parkland, which depicted the events at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and Kill The Messenger, about a journalist, Gary Webb, in the 1990s who uncovered an alleged CIA drug-smuggling plot. With Concussion, Landesman says, "It's unfolding now. It's staring me in the face now." I saw a screening of Concussion this week, and as worthy as the story is that portrays Omalu as whistleblower, it is hardly the definitive work that blows the lid off the NFL. That was already done with

"League of Denial," the excellent book by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru, published in 2013, which was the basis for a PBS Frontline documentary by the same name. Typical of Hollywood, Concussion uses some creative liberty to move the film along. When asked about the scene that depicts Waters confronting Duerson outside of NFL headquarters, Landesman said that it was "spiritually accurate." Duerson was a trustee for the NFL's retirement board that repeatedly denied claims by Waters, Landesman pointed out. Both eventually committed suicide and were found to have had CTE. "It's a terrible Shakespearean irony," said Landesman. A former investigative journalist, Landesman is surely trained to get the story right. Yet there was no such confrontation on the street, though, as depicted in the film. "If they met, this is the conversation they would have had," Landesman said. The takeaway effect from that scene is that the NFL didn't react fast enough to evolving science. It's ironic that the week of the film's release, two situations cast further light on the NFL's crisis. The league suspended Giants receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. for a game, for his dangerous helmet-to-helmet shot on Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman on Sunday. With high-profile players in a high-profile game involved, the NFL would have been open for even harsher criticism for how it deals with such injury risks if it didn't send a message of stiff punishment. On Tuesday, a report by ESPN's Outside The Lines alleged, citing unnamed sources, that the NFL — which in 2012 donated $30 million to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for brain research — refused to fund a Boston University research project that would have come out of the large grant and aims to develop methods of diagnosing CTE in the living (currently, it is confirmed by studying brain tissue of the deceased), because it was headed by Robert Stern, a harsh critic of the NFL. The NFL refuted the story, and the foundation for the NIH issued a statement maintaining that the NFL would have supported the project, which instead will be funded by the NIH. All of the backtracking and clarifications, though, seemingly played right along with the plot of Concussion. Still, there's no denying that there's been a cultural shift in the NFL and Omalu's discovery after he performed the autopsy following Webster's death in 2002 was a key factor. In recent years, the league has instituted nearly 40 rules changes designed to make the game safer. There's a more stringent concussion protocol in place, with players — who are now more prone than ever to miss multiple games after suffering a concussion — having to be cleared by an independent neurologist before they can return. And now there's a new movie that will make people think.

Other items of interest as Week 16 rolls along … Who's hot: Doug Baldwin. Think of all the great receivers in the 96 years of NFL history. Only two have scored 10 touchdowns over a four-game span in a single season: Jerry Rice and Baldwin, the often-underrated Seahawks wideout who has been a big recipient of the tear that Russell Wilson has been on. Not Rice and Alworth or Swann or Moss. Rice and Baldwin. He's come a long way since the seething of two years ago, when he felt the Seahawks receivers were widely disrespected. Now he might have a case being snubbed for the Pro Bowl, but at least he can point to the production. Baldwin heads into Sunday's game against the Rams with 13 receiving TDs on the season, tied for the franchise record that Daryl Turner set in 1985. Pressure's on: Eli Manning. With the Giants' hopes of winning the NFC East and making the playoffs hanging by a thread, Manning must try to engineer a victory at Minnesota on Sunday night without his best playmaker, Odell Beckham, Jr., who will serve a one-game suspension. It's been that type of year for New York, with Beckham's suspension coming on top of all the opportunities blown in games when fourth-quarter leads were squandered. Key matchup: Muhammad Wilkerson vs. Tre Jackson. Disrupting Tom Brady is essential to any plan to topple the Patriots, and the Jets have just the force to wreak havoc in Wilkerson. The statistical evidence includes 12 sacks, 20 quarterback hits and 38 hurries, and even worse for Brady is that the pressure comes from the inside with Wilkinson aligned at left end in a 3-4. This is the toughest assignment yet for Jackson, a fourth-round rookie who will surely get some double-team help. Next man up: Tony Jefferson. Replacing Tyrann Mathieu, whose phenomenal "savage season" ended last week with a torn ACL, isn't a matter of simply inserting Jefferson as the next man up. The Cardinals are challenged to account for Mathieu's versatility, which prompts a musical chairs effect. Mathieu played nearly two-thirds of his 833 snaps as the slot corner and 20% of his plays at linebacker. So, while Jefferson is expected to step into the lineup at safety, cornerback Jerraud Powers will play the slot and Justin Bethel on the outside corner. Safety D.J. Swearinger will have an expanded role, too. The other void? Mathieu's intensity. Rookie watch: Cameron Artis-Payne. With Jonathan Stewart (sprained foot) ruled out for a second consecutive game, another Cam from Auburn, fifth-round pick Artis-Payne, is poised for another opportunity to make an impact for the Panthers. After being inactive for the seven previous games, Artis-Payne came off the bench against the Giants and rushed 14 times for 59 yards, including 43 in the second half. It was a nice surprise for the Panthers, who would gladly take that again in the bid at Atlanta to remain undefeated. If the playoffs were today: Denver would be the third seed in the AFC. But if the Broncos lose against Cincinnati on Monday night and the Chiefs, Steelers and Jets each win, they would plummet to the seventh slot heading into Week 17. How wild is that? For much of the season, the Broncos have been competing for the No.1 seed. Did you notice? With the Raiders gift-wrapping Charles Woodson's farewell to Oakland with a comeback overtime victory, the three teams in contention for leaving their markets for Los Angeles — the Raiders, Chargers and Rams — might have played their final games in their current cities. Or maybe two of them have. In any event, the Raiders close at Kansas City, while the Rams and Chargers play their final two games on the road.

Stat's the fact: The Chiefs, who host Cleveland with a chance to clinch a playoff berth this weekend, are the only team in NFL history to produce an eight-game winning streak following a five-game losing streak in the same season.

Five matchups that will define NFL Week 16: Brock Osweiler's big step By Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz USA Today December 26, 2015 The Denver Broncos have taken the long view to their season in their approach to handling Peyton Manning. But the Broncos need the right short-term plan for quarterback Brock Osweiler on Monday to ensure there's a postseason for which to prepare. A misstep against the Cincinnati Bengals would put Denver in an unfavorable position to capture the AFC West, and potentially a wild-card berth. But a win would put the team on the path to a No. 2 seed and first-round bye. Entering his sixth career start, Osweiler still remains somewhat of a mystery. He has proven capable when operating in a rhythm and within his comfort zone, as he did last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But he and the rest of the offense never solved the Steelers' second-half changes and once again revealed the signal-caller's limitations at this point in his development. That could be a troublesome outlook against the Bengals, who rank first in scoring defense. Denver can't be expected to avoid the imposing scenarios that have daunted Osweiler unless the run game works early. And after dealing with a sore shoulder and infected left eye, Osweiler faces a matchup in which little can be expected to unfold as planned. One development working in Osweiler's favor: The Bengals' offense is adjusting to life with its backup quarterback, AJ McCarron, and is behind Denver in adapting. Here are four other matchups that will define Week 16 in the NFL: - Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones vs. Carolina Panthers CB Josh Norman The trash talk from one week carried over into the next for Norman. Just as Odell Beckham Jr.'s one-game suspension seemed to end one controversy, both Jones and Falcons WR Roddy White questioned Norman's toughness and attributed some of his success this season to the Panthers' defensive scheme. Norman hit back on White by calling him Atlanta's No. 5 receiver, but the real battle will be on the field this week against Jones. In their matchup two weeks ago, Jones recorded seven catches for 88 yards in a 38-0 loss that was seemingly out of reach by the first quarter. Atlanta could move Jones, who is 25 catches short of the single-season record, to the slot more often as the Giants did last week with Beckham.

With the Panthers clinging to an undefeated season and the Falcons barely hanging onto their playoff hopes, both sides will look to their stars for signature performances. How Norman fares could be an important facet in how his season is perceived. - New York Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson vs. New England Patriots' offensive line Wilkerson's plaudits don't properly reflect his level of play, though perhaps he'll begin to receive his due if he leaves an impression on the Patriots. With 12 sacks this season, the 26-year-old trails only J.J. Watt among 3-4 defensive ends. Stout against the run, he's also helped the Jets become the No. 2 rushing defense. Getting to QB Tom Brady has been one of the few solutions for throwing off the Patriots' offense. The Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles both toppled the Patriots with pass rushes that repeatedly reached home against Brady, but New England corralled Watt two weeks ago in a win. Brady was sacked three times but still passed for 226 yards in the teams' previous meeting this season. He still might be without a fully healthy receiving corps, but he'll have to possess a quick trigger against Wilkerson and the Jets. - Green Bay Packers WR Randall Cobb vs. Arizona Cardinals' secondary The Packers have strung together three consecutive wins, but all is not well with an offense Aaron Rodgers said lacks "a clear-cut direction." Green Bay ranks 24th in third-down conversion rate (35.8%) and is still laboring for the completions that once seemed automatic. A shaky receiving corps has done little to answer questions about whether it can do enough for Rodgers when needed. As one of the targets most capable of gaining separation, Cobb might be the key Sunday against a talented Cardinals secondary. By operating out of the slot, he can limit his matchups against Patrick Peterson, who has been playing at an all-pro level. Arizona will have to rely on Jerraud Powers as a nickel cornerback after Tyrann Mathieu tore his anterior cruciate ligament on Monday. With the Cardinals' reliance on blitzing to generate a pass rush, Rodgers will need to be sharp and decisive with his throws. - Minnesota Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater vs. New York Giants' secondary Coming off two of the best performances of his career, Bridgewater is showing he's comfortable with a more difficult set of passes and responsibilities. He could do more of the same Sunday night against an overextended Giants defense. Bridgewater has excelled in the efficient yet limited role the Vikings have carved out for him. Yet at the end of his second year, the signal-caller has shown he's comfortable taking more chances and making quicker decisions. That could mean another tough day for the Giants, the only defense that has allowed more than 300 passing yards per game this season. The pass rush has only offered up 19 sacks, which ranks second-worst in the NFL.

The Vikings won't ignore Adrian Peterson, but the running back is still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered last week. Lightening Peterson's workload while building confidence for a potential postseason run could mean a busy day for Bridgewater.

Broncos QB Peyton Manning refutes allegations that link him to doping ring By Nathan Van Dyne Colorado Springs Gazette December 26, 2015 Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning released a statement Saturday denying allegations in a report by Al Jazeera that link him to a doping ring. In the report, set to air Sunday, a pharmacist who worked at the Guyer Institute in 2011 alleges that the Indiana-based anti-aging clinic mailed human growth hormone and other drugs to Manning's wife, Ashley, to avoid any link to the quarterback, the Huffington Post said in a story published Saturday. "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up," Manning's statement read. "It never happened. Never. I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up." According to the Huffington Post, the report is the result of an investigation in which British hurdler Liam Collins went undercover to expose the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs. During the investigation, Collins met with pharmacist Charles Sly and secretly recorded the conversations. "All the time we would be sending Ashley Manning drugs," Sly says in the video, which Al Jazeera shared with the Huffington Post. "Like growth hormone, all the time, everywhere, Florida. And it would never be under Peyton's name. It would always be under her name." In a follow-up interview with Al Jazeera, Sly recants the allegations. Manning missed the 2011 season after undergoing multiple neck surgeries while with the Indianapolis Colts. He signed with the Broncos as a free agent after that season. The NFL banned HGH in 2011 as part of its collective bargaining agreement but did not begin testing for it until 2014.

Report: Clinic mailed HGH to Peyton Manning's wife in 2011 By Will Brinson CBSSports.com December 26, 2015 An upcoming Al Jazeera investigative report airing Sunday is linking Peyton Manning to the use of human growth hormone, according to the Huffington Post. The Huffington Post received an advance screening of a documentary named The Dark Side set to premiere Sunday and, according to their story, a pharmacist named Charlie Sly claims drugs were sent to the Mannings "all the time" addressed to Peyton's wife, Ashley, while Peyton Manning was recuperating from neck surgery in 2011. Manning missed that entire season and was released by the Colts the following spring. “All the time we would be sending Ashley Manning drugs,” Sly says in the video. “Like growth hormone, all the time, everywhere, Florida. And it would never be under Peyton's name, it would always be under her name.” According to the Huffington Post, Manning's agent vehemently denied the report, claiming Manning "has never done what this person is suggesting" and stating any medical treatment Manning got was via his doctors. “The treatment he received at the Guyer Institute was provided on the advice of his physician and with the knowledge of team doctors and trainers." According to the Huffington Post, Manning's agent did not deny any rumors of Ashley Manning receiving medicine through the mail. “Any medical treatment received by Ashley is a private matter of hers, her doctor, and her family,” the agent said. One of the pharmacists involved in the documentary claims he can turn an average human into a world-class athlete through the use of his mailed medicinals. “No one's got caught, because the system's so easy to beat,” Robertson, the pharmacist, brags to Collins. “And it still is, that's the sad fact. I can take a guy with average genetics and make him a world champion.” The allegations in the documentary are, quite obviously, shocking. Manning released a statement Saturday night through the Broncos, calling the report "garbage" and "totally made up."

Manning, Dalton, Eifert among those ruled out for Broncos-Bengals game By Jared Dubin CBSSports.com December 26, 2015 This week's edition of Monday Night Football will not have quite as much firepower as the schedulers might have envisioned when they pitted the Broncos and Bengals in a late-season prime time matchup. In a game that seems fairly likely to determine the No. 2 seed in the AFC, both starting quarterbacks have been ruled out with their respective long-term injuries. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has been out for quite a while, of course, and his absence will continue at least through this week. Denver head coach Gary Kubiak did allow that Manning had a "really good week" of practice, which makes it seem like he's inching closer to a potential return to the lineup. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, meanwhile, broke a bone in his thumb while attempting to make a tackle during a Week 14 loss to the Steelers, and has been ruled out for Monday night as well. One of Dalton's top passing game targets, tight end Tyler Eifert, suffered a concussion during the same game and was ruled out for Monday after not practicing all week. In addition to those three, Broncos safety Omar Bolden has been ruled out for the game with a groin injury. Add him to safety David Bruton, who suffered a fractured fibula during last week's game against Pittsburgh and was placed on injured reserve. It's entirely possible that even more players are ruled out for the game, as Broncos safeties T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart were listed as questionable (they did both participate in Saturday's practice, though, which bodes well for their potential availability) and Bengals safety George Iloka was listed as doubtful after not practicing all week.

Report: HGH, other drugs were shipped to Peyton Manning's wife By Eric Edholm Yahoo! Sports December 26, 2015 An Indianapolis clinic reportedly shipped performance-enhacing drugs, including human-growth hormones, to the house of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, according to a report by Al Jazeera via Huffington Post. According to “The Dark Side,” an undercover investigation of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, pharmacist Charlie Sly, who worked at the Guyer Institute, the Indiana-based anti-aging clinic, in 2011 — when Manning was a member of the Indianapolis Colts — said the team there helped Manning rehab from a neck injury that caused him to miss the entire season that year. The following season, Manning joined the Broncos as a free agent. Sly alleges the clinic sent growth hormone and other drugs to Ashley Manning, Manning’s wife, so that there could never be a connection to Peyton. On an undercover video, Sly said the Mannings also came to the clinic after normal business hours for intravenous treatments. “All the time we would be sending Ashley Manning drugs,” Sly says in the video. “Like growth hormone, all the time, everywhere, Florida. And it would never be under Peyton’s name, it would always be under her name.” Manning denied the allegations, calling it "complete garbage" in a statement to the NFL Network's Albert Breer: Albert Breer ✔ @AlbertBreer Personal statement from Peyton Manning released by the Broncos ... 8:49 PM - 26 Dec 2015

HGH has been banned by the NFL since the new 2011 collective-bargaining agreement, but testing did not begin until 2014. The union and the league spent more than two years bargaining on how to test the athletes. No player is believed to have ever been tested positive for HGH. In a video statement, Sly says his statements in Al Jazeera's report were "absolutely false and incorrect." Other professional athletes, including several major league baseball players, are named in the report. Sly also name drops Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, saying he provided him with prescription painkiller Percocet and that Matthews reached out to him for Toradol, a common, legal and powerful painkiller.

Peyton Manning calls HGH report ‘complete garbage’ By SI Wire SI.com December 26, 2015 Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning responded to allegations on Saturday that he was supplied with human growth hormone, calling them “complete garbage.” An investigative report from Al Jazeera, currently unavailable for viewing in the United States but shared in advance with the Huffington Post, implicated and named Manning as “one of many high-profile players” linked to the performance enhancing drug trade. “The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up,” Manning said in a statement released through the Broncos. “It never happened. Never. I really can’t believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up.” In the report, Charlie Sly, a pharmacist who worked at the Guyer Institute, an Indiana-based anti-aging clinic, in 2011, said he was part of a team that helped Manning, then a member of the Indianapolis Colts, recover from neck surgery. Manning missed the entire 2011 season with the injury. Sly told investigators that he mailed performance enhancers, including HGH, to Manning’s wife Ashley, to keep Peyton’s name out of the transactions. According to the Huffington Post, the comments were secretly recorded on video, unbeknownst to Sly. The Huffington Post also reports that Sly later denied his comments. “Sly, when pressed by Al Jazeera, backtracked, saying that his claims about supplying the drugs to athletes were ‘false and incorrect.’ In a subsequent statement to Al Jazeera, he walked back the comments even further, saying that Collins took advantage of him while Sly was grieving the death of his fiancée.” Manning's agent reportedly told Al Jazeera in response that the quarterback “has never done what this person is suggesting,” and that “the treatment he received at the Guyer Institute was provided on the advice of his physician and with the knowledge of team doctors and trainers.” The NFL began testing for human growth hormone, one of the league’s banned substances, in October 2014.

Kubiak says Peyton Manning's workout went well By Kevin Patra NFL.com December 26, 2015 Earlier this week Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said Peyton Manning would have a "big" workout on Saturday to evaluate the quarterback's progress in his rehab from a partially torn plantar fascia in his left foot. The coach liked what he saw, saying the workout "went really good." "(Peyton) worked really hard this morning conditioning wise and throwing wise," Kubiak said, via the Denver Post. "... I thought it was a really good week." Manning threw and worked out Saturday, but Kubiak reiterated he's not looking ahead to what it might mean moving forward. Manning was ruled out earlier in the week. Brock Osweiler will make his sixth start of the season Monday night versus the Cincinnati Bengals. NFL Media's James Palmer reported that the only difference in Saturday's workout and the quarterback's earlier work this week is Kubiak watched this one in person as opposed to watching the film. If any importance was connected, it was strictly how Manning's foot feels coming out of the final workout of the week and there was nothing larger Saturday in terms of the workload of the session or added overall value. When asked about why he labeled it a "big" workout earlier in the week, Kubiak quipped: "I need to shut up." Manning returned to practice on a limited basis last week, but suffered a setback and had to sit out last Friday. This week he has worked on the side and rehabbed. Per Palmer, Manning is back to the same point of his recovery as he was two weeks ago when he was doing these exact same morning workouts with the training staff. The Manning saga will continue on as the Broncos battle for playoff positioning without the veteran. If Denver wins out (including Monday versus the Bengals), it is guaranteed a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Broncos also could miss the postseason if the chips fall sideways.

Peyton Manning denies report of HGH use in 2011 By NFL.com Staff NFL.com December 27, 2015 The Denver Broncos have released a statement denying an Al Jazeera report that quarterback Peyton Manning used human growth hormone as part of his recovery from neck surgery in 2011. Manning played for the Indianapolis Colts at the time. The statement released by the Broncos on Manning's behalf reads: "The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up. It never happened. Never. I really can't believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up." The story was first reported by The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post story also reported HGH was sent to Peyton Manning's wife, Ashley, and that Manning's agent did not deny Ashley Manning received shipments of human growth hormone. HGH was banned by the labor agreement the NFL and NFL Players Association signed in July 2011. It's unclear from the Huffington Post story if Manning's alleged use of HGH pre-dates that ban.

Peyton Manning adds Ari Fleischer to HGH allegation P.R. effort By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk December 27, 2015 In most cases, NFL players simply deny an allegation made against them. In some cases, an NFL player regards an allegation as sufficiently severe to require something more. In the case of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who issued a personal statement on Saturday night calling the report from Al Jazeera regarding secretly-taped claims that he used HGH in 2011 “complete garbage,” Peyton isn’t content to rely simply on his denial. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer also has been enlisted to speak on Manning’s behalf. “There’s no truth to it,” Fleischer said of the report, via Troy E. Renck and Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. “What they have is a well-known con man from England who secretly recorded a former intern.” The former Guyer Institute intern, Charles Sly, reportedly has recanted the claim that Manning used HGH. Sly was caught on tape (unbeknownst to him) making the allegations by Liam Collins, a British hurdler who went undercover in an effort to expose PED use in sports. Sly told Al Jazeera that the statements attributed to him are “absolutely false and incorrect,” and that Collins took advantage of Sly during a vulnerable period following the passing of his fiancé. Sly separately told ESPN that he lied to Collins to test his legitimacy. (At some point, the sheer volume of alternative explanations from Sly makes each of them curious, at best.) Peyton supplemented his Saturday night statement with comments to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, who has a long relationship with the Manning family and has broken many Manning-related stories, including Peyton’s selection of the Broncos in 2012. (Patriots fans will appreciate — or not — the irony of Mortensen’s early involvement in the life cycle of this specific story.) “For the record, I have never used HGH,” Manning told Mortensen. “It absolutely never happened. The whole thing is totally wrong. It’s such a fabrication, I’m not losing any sleep over it, that’s for sure.” He may not be losing sleep over it, but Manning or someone close to him is sufficiently concerned about the donut hole that emerged on Saturday to retain the services of someone who helps high-profile people put out P.R. firestorms for a living. “The treatment he received at the Guyer Institute was provided on the advice of his physician and with the knowledge of team doctors and trainers,” Manning’s agent told Al Jazeera in connection with the original story on the matter. “Any medical treatment received by Ashley [Manning] is a private matter of hers, her doctor, and her family.” Some have interpreted the explanation regarding Ashley Manning, who according to Al Jazeera acquired the HGH in her name for Peyton’s use, as being sufficiently vague to account for the possibility that evidence eventually will emerge showing that she had indeed obtained HGH from the Guyer Institute. (There’s no evidence of that at this point, beyond Sly’s recanted claims.) At a minimum, the knowledge of Fleisher’s involvement justifies the analysis and parsing over every word uttered on Manning’s behalf

— because that’s precisely what folks like Fleisher, who now specializes in media strategies for sports figures and organizations, are paid to do before any words are ever uttered on a client’s behalf. “Yes, I have been a patient under Dr. Guyer,” Manning told Mortensen. “I have had nutrient therapy, oxygen therapy and other treatments that are holistic in nature but never HGH. My wife has never provided any medication for me to take. Ashley and I never attended the clinic together after hours. There were times when I went in the morning and there were times when I went after practice so this thing about ‘after hours’ is so misleading because it may have been 5:15 pm because their office closed at 5.” It’s odd that Manning would quibble over the notion that he and Ashley went to the clinic “after hours” with a precise explanation of when they arrived there, presumably to account preemptively for the possibility that other current or former employees of the Guyer Institute will decide to provide details regarding Manning’s situation, on or off the record. It’s also noteworthy that, despite Fleischer presumably providing a comprehensive media strategy for dealing with the situation, Ashley Manning has not yet issued a statement denying the purchase or receipt of HGH. With so many statements and reports and developments emerging in a fairly short time frame, it’s fair to wonder what the next statement, report, or development will be. Either way, the story has quickly mushroomed into something that could potentially be far more damaging to Manning’s legacy than his on-field performance from what could be his last NFL season.

Peyton Manning calls report of 2011 HGH use “complete garbage” By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk December 26, 2015 The week began with Peyton Manning calling a report about his reluctance to be a backup to Brock Osweiler “bullsh-t and insulting.” It’s ending with a strong reaction to a report about far more important matters. Via Huffington Post, Al Jazeera America reports that an Indianapolis drug ring supplied Manning with HGH in 2011, as he was recovering from multiple neck surgeries while still with the Colts. “The allegation that I would do something like that is complete garbage and is totally made up,” Peyton Manning said in a personal statement that was provided to PFT by the Broncos. “It never happened. Never. I really can’t believe somebody would put something like this on the air. Whoever said this is making stuff up.” The allegation comes in a documentary dubbed The Dark Side, in which British hurdler Liam Collins went undercover “to expose the widespread nature of performance-enhancing drugs in global sports.” The documentary raises questions about many players, including Manning. In the movie, a pharmacist who worked at the the Guyer Institute in Indianapolis tells Collins (who recorded video and audio secretly) that HGH was regularly sent to Manning’s wife, Ashley, during his recovery more than four years ago. “All the time we would be sending Ashley Manning drugs,” says Charlie Sly to Collins. “Like growth hormone, all the time, everywhere, Florida. And it would never be under Peyton’s name, it would always be under her name.” Manning’s agent (who isn’t named but is presumably Tom Condon of CAA) previously denied the allegation. Peyton “has never done what this person is suggesting,” the agent told Al Jazeera. “The treatment he received at the Guyer Institute was provided on the advice of his physician and with the knowledge of team doctors and trainers. . . . Any medical treatment received by Ashley is a private matter of hers, her doctor, and her family.” In 2011, HGH was on the NFL’s list of banned substances. However, the league and the NFL Players Association had not yet agreed on a testing procedure. So players were essentially on the honor system. Manning could, in theory, choose to sue the filmmaker or Sly for defamation. Because Manning is a public figure, he’d have to prove that the statements were made with “actual malice,” which means that the persons knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard to the truth or falsity of the information. Al Jazeera potentially satisfied that standard by seeking and including a statement from Manning’s agent.

Kubiak downplays Peyton’s “big workout” By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk December 26, 2015 On Thursday, Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said that quarterback Peyton Manning would have a “big workout” on Saturday. After Saturday’s “big workout,” Kubiak didn’t have much to say. “I need to shut up,” Kubiak told reporters regarding the reaction to his description of the session as “big.” “It was a workout,” Kubiak said, also confirming that he personally attended the session. “It was good. They were all good workouts this week. He probably worked harder today than he did the other two days, in all honesty, but it was a real good workout.” Asked whether Saturday’s not-so-big “big workout” would determine Manning’s ability to practice in the week after the game, Kubiak said, “No. We had a good week. Let’s go from there, okay?” Asked whether the goal is to keep open the possibility that Peyton could play again, Kubiak said, “There is nothing — it’s just, ‘Let’s go. Let’s have a good week. Let’s work.’ That’s what he did. I won’t go beyond that.” It seems obvious that the Broncos are trying to keep the door open on Peyton returning at some point this season. With only one regular-season game remaining after Monday night’s contest against the Broncos, it could be that Peyton will play, if at all, during the postseason. First, the Broncos have to get there. And they could end up with anything from a postseason bye to a home game in the wild-card round to a road game in the wild-card round to no playoffs at all, based on what happens the new two weeks, with or without Peyton on the field.

Mason's Mailbag: Safeties, going 'all in,' stadium food and Star Wars By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com December 27, 2015 As always, you can tweet questions to me with the hashtag #AskMase or use the submission form to your right (if you're viewing on a standard browser) or at the bottom of the page if you're on the mobile site. Big Broncos fan from Austria here. That's true, the NFL in Europe isn't all about the UK ;-) The injury setbacks at safety simply don't seem to stop right now. Can you explain how the whole safety situation affected the Broncos over the last two games? Did the defensive tactics change in any way? Is Chris Harris' bad day at the office down to a lack of help? Shiloh Keo biting on that pump fake on 3rd and 15 against the Raiders for the 4th quarter TD probably remains as the biggest "what-if." Or doesn't it? -- Stefan Fussenegger The play against the Raiders probably remains the biggest "what if," as you mentioned. It's interesting to watch Raiders quarterback Derek Carr before the snap; he zeroes in on that area of the defense, with Keo and Josh Bush lined up in proximity with each other. Carr is only in his second year, but he was smart enough to identify the area with the newest defender -- Keo -- and attack it. No offensive or defensive player can join a team and be completely effective within five days of his first practice. The collaborative, collective nature of football prevents plug-and-play arrivals from being completely effective, especially compared with a more individual sport such as baseball. That touchdown scratches the surface of the impact of safeties, and why we can't estimate the impact of the injuries to T.J. Ward, Darian Stewart, Omar Bolden and David Bruton Jr. Safeties are not only crucial in coverage, but they're integral to the communication on the back end. Although Bush had the entire offseason, preseason and brief work in the early part of the regular season, he's still not going to be at the same level of communication as players who have been in the defense all season. As for whether Harris' day is because of the lack of help ... remember that he's been working "on an island" in man-to-man coverage all season. Harris and Aqib Talib are so good in man coverage that they allow the safeties to have greater responsibility on intermediate routes down the seams and between the hashmarks, as well as underneath within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage and for occasional use on blitzes. Harris was beaten by arguably the best receiver in the sport right now. Some of those plays weren't going to be prevented by anyone; what Harris knows that he can correct on his own are the missed tackles, which are highly unusual. Few cornerbacks are better at limiting the damage of plays on the outside better than Harris, and I doubt his uncharacteristic missed tackles will be repeated. He was very hard on himself this week, and I expect him to rebound in a big way. But it will undoubtedly help his cause -- and that of the entire defense -- to have Ward and Stewart back, which the Broncos hope is the case regardless.

@DanielGonzalez8 @MaseDenver why not go all in for next two games even with injured players and get the bye week for rest? #askmase 10:36 AM - 24 Dec 2015 I think it's clear they're going "all in" regardless. They have to. Every available player who's healthy will play. You can't think about the possibility of a bye week when you may need to win the next two games just to qualify for the postseason, if the Steelers, Jets and Chiefs all win out. @tlcat06 @MaseDenver Aqib Talib was suspended and he was still eligible for the Pro Bowl? How does that work? #askmase 8:34 AM - 23 Dec 2015 It's pretty simple: the only kind of suspension that will make you ineligible for the Pro Bowl is a season-long suspension. A single- or multi-game suspension would not apply for the Pro Bowl, so it's not relevant, whether it's at the end of the season or, in the case of Talib's suspension, in Week 10. Even Derek Wolfe's four-game PED suspension at the start of the regular season wasn't going to prevent him from being eligible for selection. @Stuuuuuuuuuart who are the top 5 most likely qbs to get drafted by the broncos? #AskMase 2:43 PM - 21 Dec 2015 Given that the Broncos will pick no earlier than 20th in the draft, and they won't have a better idea of their draft needs until after the free-agency period begins -- and they decide how to proceed with Brock Osweiler's contract -- getting to five "most likely" quarterbacks for them to pick is a futile exercise. We're also still waiting on potential early-entry candidates, which could potentially alter the landscape substantially. This is a good question, but not one that anyone can answer with any accuracy right now. Among quarterbacks we know are draft-eligible, I find North Dakota State's Carson Wentz to be particularly intriguing. The 6-foot-5 passer has already accepted a Senior Bowl invitation. He has a strong arm and a quick release, but also hasn't played since October because of a broken wrist. We'll talk about plenty of other names in the next few months, but right now, it's way too early to note any as potential Broncos. Hey Mase, huge fan of the mailbag! I'm flying to Denver Monday for my first Broncos game! So I have to ask, what would you recommend for food at the game? Gotta have some favorites right? -- Jeremy Cooley I do! Welcome, and bundle up! I always look for food I can't easily find at other venues, so with that in mind, here are my recommendations;

If you are on the club level, I recommend the burrito stand in the northwest corner behind section 314. For a true Denver taste, make sure you get your burrito with green chile both in the burrito and smothered on top. When the press-box meal is not to my liking, that's my go-to stand. I've had a good meal at "First and Fusion" (behind sections 135 and 518), which does teriyaki noodle or rice (I always choose the noodles) bowls with chicken, beef or vegetables. At the Mile High Legend's Grille, try Schlereth's Green Chili Fries, again, for a local flavor. A new addition this year is the Jalapeño Cheddar Brat Burger, available at stands behind sections 100, 119, 127 and 504. It stacks up well against what I can find in the cradle of brat burgers: the happiest place on earth, otherwise known as Madison, Wisconsin. Just to be sure: Is this a fashion blog or a football blog? Thanks. -- Deedub Will Neither, because it's not a blog. First off, big fan of your writing but more so of how you are able to handle certain bonehead questions and responses. You answer most of my football related questions and if you can't I am able to get most answered by coaches/players media time. So my question is Star Wars-related. What is your ranking of all seven movies? -- Taylor Harris You're scratching me right where I itch -- especially considering that I have an iPhone-controlled BB-8 rolling around my living room right now. Here goes: 1. The Empire Strikes Back: In terms of style and substance, the deepest entry of the series -- and the most audacious; in how many big-budget action/fantasy/sci-fi movies have the good guys had their butts kicked so thoroughly for two-plus hours? Like Dante Hicks said in Clerks, "That's what life is: a series of down endings." And the film features two of my favorite visuals in any movie: the shot of Darth Vader through the smoke as Han is being frozen in carbonite, and the backlit silhouette of Vader and Luke beginning their lightsaber duel. Empire isn't just a great Star Wars movie, it's a great film, period. 2. A New Hope: The original has a clean, linear storyline, clearly defines the heroes and villains from the start, is infinitely quotable and holds up as well today as it did when it was released -- even though it was clearly a film borne as a reaction to the understandable cynicism of its time. 3. The Force Awakens: There may be some revisions as I re-watch the movie, but my initial impressions are overwhelmingly positive, starting from how it grabs the viewer in the first scene. I don't want to give away anything, except to say that I had a visceral, emotional reaction to the first scene; I was sucked into seeing Kylo Ren as the worst kind of evil. 4. Return of the Jedi: Richard Marquand's direction and the cinematography is less creative here than in the first two films, and it weakens the overall presentation -- there are too many tight shots. I never had

a problem with the Ewoks -- there was an anti-technology subtext to the first film in 1977 to which their success at thwarting the Empire holds true. The scenes in Jabba's court are a bit too long, but he's an integral villain to the Star Wars universe. Then, a massive gap to ... 5. Revenge of the Sith: This film could have been so much more. The Order 66 scene packs an emotional punch, but it could have been greater if we'd gotten to know the Jedi being slaughtered instead of focusing on the "romance" between Anakin and Padme in Episodes I and II. There are redeeming scenes from it: Palpatine's explanation of the nature of the Sith to Anakin (well, pretty much any scene with Palpatine in it; he's the most compelling character in the prequels by miles). 6. The Phantom Menace: Jar Jar Binks is the least of the problems here. I could write an essay on everything that is wrong with this, but it wouldn't be as entertaining as Harry Plinkett's on-point and hilariously profane deconstruction of the film for Red Letter Media. 7. Attack of the Clones: A muddled mess. The scenes with Anakin and Padme in the meadow looked like they were outtakes from a 1980s commercial. Count Dooku just looks like he was squeezed in, which lends credence to the Jar Jar theory from Reddit.

Kubiak: Manning had 'really good' workout Saturday By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com December 26, 2015 Quarterback Peyton Manning concluded his week of throwing sessions with a Saturday morning workout that was "really good," Head Coach Gary Kubiak said at his press briefing that afternoon. "He had a good week. He worked really hard this morning -- well, he worked every morning, but he worked really had this morning conditioning-wise and throwing wise," said Kubiak, who watched Manning's Saturday work in person. A torn plantar fascia has sidelined Manning since the third quarter of the Nov. 15 loss to Kansas City. He practiced on Dec. 16 and 17, but sat out Dec. 18 because of foot soreness, which forced Manning to step back to the type of throwing sessions he had in the Week of Dec. 7-11. "They were all good workouts this week," Kubiak added. "He probably worked harder today than he did the other two days [Wednesday and Thursday], in all honesty, but it was a really good workout." However, Kubiak did not want to make any assessment of Manning's status beyond being out for this week's game against Cincinnati. "We had a good week. Let's go from there," Kubiak said. He did not know yet whether Manning would be on the sideline for a third consecutive game or would watch inside the Broncos' locker room, as he did Nov. 29 against New England. The temperature Monday night is expected to descend through the 20s.

Broncos Injury Update: Darian Stewart returns to practice By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com December 26, 2015 Darian Stewart practiced for the first time since injuring his hamstring against the Raiders on Dec. 13 as the Broncos returned to the field after a day off to celebrate Christmas. "It felt good, man," Stewart said. "I think my confidence is there, and I'll be ready to go." Stewart and fellow safety T.J. Ward are both listed as questionable for Monday night's duel with the Cincinnait Bengals, but their on-field progress was promising in the eyes of Head Coach Gary Kubiak. "[Ward] practiced good today," Kubiak said. "I feel good about his work. We've still got a lot of time between now and game time, but he and Darian felt good about their work today." Until this week, Ward was limited to rehabilitation work since he sprained his ankle Nov. 29 against the Patriots. Stewart had focused on rehabilitation the last 13 days, but was on hand watching practice while he recovered. "One thing with the hammy, the biggest thing is getting rest on it," Stewart said. "The trainers and coaches worked with me, and they allowed me to get the rest." ILB Todd Davis also practiced for the first time this week and is questionable for Monday night. Davis was sidelined with a shoulder injury Wednesday and Thursday. QB Peyton Manning (torn plantar fascia) and safety Omar Bolden (hamstring) were the only Broncos who did not practice Saturday; both were officially ruled out. All other players on the injury report had full practice workloads and are probable for Sunday: RB C.J. Anderson (ankle), WR Andre Caldwell (quadriceps), TE Owen Daniels (knees), WR Bennie Fowler (ankle), guard Evan Mathis (ankle), OLB Lerentee McCray (hamstring), QB Brock Osweiler (left shoulder), DE Vance Walker (shoulder) and OLB DeMarcus Ware (back).

BMW Ultimate Performance: Malik Jackson By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com December 26, 2015 That Malik Jackson did not make the Pro Bowl roster isn't a surprise; the competition is tough and the scales are usually tilted toward 4-3 defensive ends over their 3-4 three-technique brethren who work inside, especially since those 4-3 ends tend to be edge rushers who pile up the kind of sack statistics that get noticed in the voting. You have to put up spectacular numbers from the 3-technique spot, as Houston's J.J. Watt does, to get noticed. Jackson's sack production isn't at that level. There are latent biases in the voting that work against certain skill sets and use of players; Jackson was a victim of it. "With Malik, the problem is that most of the teams are 3-4 teams and they're picking the team by [a] 4-3 [alignment]," Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips said. "Therefore, the outside 'backers are the pass rushers. They get Von [Miller] and those guys. They're really 3-4 outside 'backer rushers. They get the recognition for that, but then they go play 4-3 in the Pro Bowl and they have to drop [into pass coverage] on every pass. "It's the same thing with the defensive linemen. In the 3-4 we call them defensive ends. Well, the 4-3 defensive ends are the guys rushing up the field all the time, so they're going to get more sacks and they're going to get more recognition that way." Jackson isn't happy about the circumstance, but he isn't losing any sleep over it -- not that he could spare a moment of sleep, anyway, seeing that he is a new father. "I’m not going to sit here and bash the Pro Bowl selection just because I didn’t get in," he said "It’s one of those things that it sucks, but you’re just got to keep working. It is what it is." But by knowing how to get his hands up and deflect passes, he is just as disruptive as his 4-3 edge-rushing brethren. A pass batted down is almost as effective as a sack; although it doesn't create a loss of yardage or the possibility of a takeaway via a forced fumble, it is a negative play for the offense -- and often a reason why the defense has been so effective at getting off the field on third downs. "If you can't get to [the opposing quarterback], get your hands up and get him frustrated," Jackson said. No front seven player in the NFL has more passes batted down this season than Jackson, who is credited with seven by ProFootballFocus.com. That's a career high, but he was adept at that in 2013, his first season of extensive action after playing intermittently as a rookie. "It's just practice and coaching," Jackson said. "I've been good at it, but this year I think I really started paying attention to it more, because you kind of get away from it if people don't tell you what to do." Indeed, Jackson's season-long totals saw a dip last year -- to just three after he had five in 2013. But Defensive Line Coach Bill Kollar emphasizes getting hands up to obstruct passes, and Jackson took to his teaching.

"When Bill came in here, he preached it and practiced it," Jackson said. "That's just kudos to him helping me out and telling me what to do." It won't get him to the Pro Bowl, at least not yet. But it's made him one of the league's best defensive linemen, and a crucial component of the league's No. 1 defense.